elfflame Reviews

Labyrinth (1986)

A Childhood favorite

[8/10 · 19 July 2007]

Few other movies manage to make me smile quite the way Labyrinth does. It is that perfect combination of storytelling and humor and suspense just peppered with music and magic that always draws children in.

The story is a simple enough quest, but the characters met along the way are what make the difference. Jennifer Connelly in her first role shows the brilliant actress she will eventually become, David Bowie hypnotizes every time he sets foot on-screen, and the Hensen muppets bring more grins and giggles than could possibly be expected in any movie.

Unlike Dark Chrystal, which could only truly be enjoyed by those who were fantasy freaks, this one is approachable to almost anyone, whether or not they enjoy fantasy. Unlike the muppet movies, this is its own world, and stands alone in the stable of muppet classics. It is not any one thing--fantasy, musical, puppet show--and therefore appeals to anyone who likes at least one of those things.

A highly enjoyable story, and well worth seeing.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Back to the good stuff

[7/10 · 18 July 2007]

I've seen it twice, now, and love it. It's not my favorite, but might be my second-favorite. I'm not sure if it's because I liked this book better than GOF, or the direction, but I enjoyed it more. This one actually felt like the first three, unlike Goblet. Even with the darkness of the film, I loved so much more about it than Goblet. It might be that I just didn't like that story, and this one calls to me much more.

Good -

I cried the first moment they showed Sirius. And Sirius calling Harry James during the battle? That moment was possibly my favorite moment of the film. And I really enjoyed it, so that's saying a lot. It was just so perfect. Especially the look on Harry's face.

Umbridge was perfect, if completely evil. She pulled it off perfectly. It was so easy to hate her. Minerva facing off against her--she might have had to back down, but I loved both their scenes together.

DA scenes were incredible. Particularly the Patronus scene. And Neville growing up and strong! I missed not meeting his parents, but I think the replacement worked well.

The endgame at Hogwarts was lovely. Particularly Snape's reaction to Harry's outburst, though I would have liked some more evidence that he went to tell the Order… Umbridge being taken by the Centaurs...hoisted on her own petard––by both Harry and the Centaurs. Anyone says that she didn't deserve it doesn't get just how horrific she was. I do have one complaint, though. Was it really unimportant that Umbridge sent the Dementors after Harry? I would have liked to have heard her mutter it, at least.

Bella was good, though even after two showings, I still can't quite get a grasp of her. I did like the moment of Lucius/Bella there, when he was telling Harry how kids could never stand up to Death Eaters, though. And the beatific grin on her face when Voldemort started whispering to Harry was perfect.

The fights at the Ministry were well-done. And if it hadn't been Gambon, I would have loved the fight between DD and Voldy. Did anyone else actually believe his blather to Harry afterwards about loving him? His lines came off so stiff…

Not so good -

My biggest complaint with this movie has to do with Draco -- not only did he not get enough screen time, but they also didn't show the Death Eaters' arrest, and he didn't threaten Harry at the end. It's vital for his character development in the next movie. After Harry and Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville, Draco's the next-most important kid in the series. By this point, we need to see more than this cardboard cut-out. I don't know its a script problem, or a directing problem, or an acting problem (no, I don't particularly like Tom.), but if this is the Draco we get in the next film, I probably won't see the last.

Sure, it's more dramatic to have the Dementor attack in a tunnel…but honestly…did they think we wouldn't remember that that playground was a lot closer to Privet Drive in POA? Not to mention that it was surrounded by HOUSES… And while I'm on that scene, did the actor who plays Dud really think that worked? He looked like the Dementors had been successful in their attack.

Quidditch – surely Rupert's got to feel a bit left-out by now? That was Ron's biggest development in the whole series! And the fight! And Harry and the twins being banned from playing ever again! And Umbridge taking their brooms! And a whole major Draco sequence taken out there…

With Trelawney, where was the explanation that it was her who gave the prophesy? We missed several details because of it was done. Like Neville being the almost-boy-who-lived, or that it was overheard by someone.

The point of the Occlumency lessons wasn't to learn how to break into Snape's mind. Harry was supposed to be keeping Snape from breaking into his own. Which he failed to do. But still, that's hardly a reason to stop. We needed the Pensieve so that we could see that even hero Harry can sometimes be in the wrong.

I'm sorry, but I can't be okay with how Cho's role changed. Made her far too sympathetic. Where was the crying? It's going to make no sense for Harry and co to still be avoiding her in the next movie.

Twins—seemed a bit wooden in this one. Yes, we got WWW, and the scene with them leaving Filch the doctored candy was lovely, but…I wasn't feeling them this time. I will say I loved the scene where they left, though. The firework dragon managed to hold up against the memory of the one in LOTR. And the Decrees all falling off the wall? Perfect! I also thought Harry collapsing in the middle of the twins escape worked quite well for moving things forward.

Bella did not use AK on Sirius in the book. She actually used red spell. The only red spell JK has mentioned was the stunning spell. She's made a point of mentioning it, in fact. But the death itself?—Remus holding Harry back was just a heartstring puller. Yes, I cried. Even if they did do the death wrong.

Good movie. I do recommend it. More than GOF.

The Prestige (2006)

A classical style thriller, but it misses the mark

[7/10 · 2 July 2007]

I don't like horror films, but these days, most thrillers tend to be packaged as horror films, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the commercials for the Prestige when it first came out. I didn't get to see it then. Too much going on, and more important movies to see when I did go to the theatre.

I have to say, after waiting so long, I'm glad I didn't. I'm very underwhelmed by it.

Hugh Jackman was a bit stiff in this, and that makes me worry, because I know he can pull off good acting. The rest of the performances were generally lovely, though.

The flow was a bit confusing at first, but not overly so, and as time went on, everything was set in its proper time frame. But I do think people who like linear films would have difficulty with the first hour or so of the film.

The sequences with Tesla felt like they should have been in a different story. Something more action-oriented. They didn't fit with the flow of the rest, really, and were only there for the big shocker, and to give Bowie his cameo. I would much rather have seen a growing thread of mishaps and attacks from each of them as Angier worked out the secret.

The ending left me cold, and to be honest, rather ill. I think the writer sold himself short. Or thought they were writing an episode of Twilight Zone.

Borden's secret was obvious less than halfway through the movie or so, and while it did seem as though at times they might have been working towards another explanation, in the end, it turned out to be just what it seemed.

All in all, a vaguely interesting story if you're into stage magicians, or are fond of the actors involved, but not at all what it could have been, given the right attention.

Bride & Prejudice (2004)

A new take on a classic story

[9/10 · 23 June 2007]

This is a great movie. It's lots of fun, and not afraid to laugh at itself. If you like romances, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the story of Pride and Prejudice, or even if you are a Lost fan who likes Sayid, this is a movie to see.

Having not seen Bend It Like Beckham, or anything that was even close to a Bollywood flick before seeing this film, I wasn't sure what to expect. However, I had two thoughts while watching this movie. First, that it was similar to My Big Fat Greek wedding on the romance side, as it was a love story which dealt a great deal with the culture one of the love interests is from. I loved the glimpse it gave into the non-commercial world of Indian culture, and how the creators weren't afraid of laughing at the silliness of Bollywood movies. The other was that despite the change of location and time from the original subject matter, Pride and Prejudice translated amazingly well, and I was often surprised at the bits that translated almost directly from the original story.

Characters: the lead ingénue, Lalita, is lovely, and quite believable. Her sisters are all lovely as well. The eldest, Jaya, has her own little love story, with Balraj, who is played by Naveen Andrews, aka Sayid from Lost. One of the younger sisters, Lakhi (Lucky) has a love story as well, though if you know Pride and Predjdice, you'll have some clue as to how well that turns out. A surprising bit they managed to pull from the original story was the youngest daughter's artistic talent. In this case, she does a dance for their guests. Absolutely hilarious scene. The suitors were well-chosen. Darcy was perfect, a rich outsider who just doesn't get it, but keeps trying. Balraj was sweet, though I would have liked to have seen more of him. Mr Kholi (the suitor that their mother wants Lalita to marry) is obnoxious and overwhelming, and just utterly perfect. I had honestly forgotten that Wickham even existed until he'd appeared on the screen, but the actor that they got to play him was perfect, sleazy and sweet in turns, and always believable in each role.

One surprising bit from the book that did not appear in the movie: in the book, Darcy's friend's sister is trying to get him to court her, and she is constantly getting in between him and Elizabeth. While Kiran (Balraj's sister) did seem to be headed this way (she flirts with him a bit at the beginning of the movie), they never did much with that part of the storyline. I assume they probably intended to have it in there, but decided it complicated the plot too much. No big, as I didn't particularly miss it, but it did surprise me that it wasn't there.

Favorite bits: the wedding dance, with Balraj egging Darcy to dance with Lalita so he can dance with Jaya. The snake dance mentioned above when Darcy, Balraj and Kholi are there for dinner. The spontaneous choir on the beach when Lalita begins to fall for Darcy. And Wickham's "You've always been the only one," after Lalita slaps him for absconding with her sister, at which Lucky turns and slaps him as well before the two girls leave with Darcy.

It is a Bollywood film, which means two things. One, that there will be lots of music, singing, and dancing. But all of the numbers are done in good-hearted fun, and they're quite willing to laugh at themselves (crossdressers in the scene where the girls are wandering around downtown before the first of the best friends is to be married and move to England!). And two: no kissing. It wasn't until the Bakshi family were in Hollywood attending the wedding of Lalita's best friend that I realized there had yet to be a single kiss in the entire film. But honestly, you never miss it.

Just trust me, if you like romances, particularly if you liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding, see this film. You'll love it.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

I really did want to like it...

[6/10 · 23 June 2007]

First, let me say that I loved the stage version. And I went to the movie with every expectation of enjoying it, knowing that there would be differences. I was even sure I could avoid the inevitable "they were no…" syndrome (ie, comparing them to Crawford or Brightman). And I'm glad I went. But the movie I saw wasn't the one I was hoping for.

The actors were generally well-chosen, and didn't feel as though they were out of place, though I could have wished for a Christine with a stronger voice, and Raul was a bit too milquetoast. I didn't have the trouble with the Phantom that most people seem to be having. He was older than Christine, and that's all I really needed on that line.

I did have two problems with him, though. One wasn't the actor's fault: the makeup they made for him made no sense. Throughout the movie we see his right eye looks exactly the same as his left. Until the mask is removed, and then suddenly, the skin underneath the eye is pulled away from it, and the eyelid seemed saggy. Wouldn't we have seen this through his mask? The other was that, as nice as the actor was to look at, I do not see the Phantom as buff. Not in any way, shape or form. It just doesn't work.

I was also mildly annoyed by the fact that they took part of the Phantom's story and toned it down. The Phantom was the one who designed the Opera house. Madame Guiry says that he was an architect, and he's constantly referring to the place as his. So why did they feel the need to take this from him? I realize that the little story they made up for him was nice and dramatic, and put Madam Guiry more firmly in his camp, but it bugged me anyway.

I found the faces I recognized in the movie quite interesting. Miranda Richardson was a lovely Madam Guiry, and Minnie Driver was perfect as Carlotta. A particular favorite scene of mine was the "Prima Donna" scene, where she's about to leave the opera house, and they see the crowd waiting, and all assume it's for her, and she opens the door, and a man hands her a rose, saying "Could you give this to miss Daae?" and she shuts the door and says, "I'll stay." Perfect. She plays to the hilt, which is exactly what the role needs. Oh, and the stage-hand mooning her as she prepares to leave was priceless, too.

Scenes: I liked the interspersed bits with Raul in 1919, particularly seeing the woman who I assume was Meg Guiry. And I remember thinking, "How can they possibly make the chandelier going up exciting in a movie?" But what they did was perfect, turning the chandelier into a time-machine, and sending us back to the opera at its height. The managers being introduced to everyone, and drooling over both Meg and Christine was amusing, and Christine's first solo was lovely, if a bit weak.

They had me, right up to the point where the Phantom appeared in the mirror, and then suddenly I was watching a very bad rock video version of the Phantom of the Opera. Particularly the multiple images of Christine as she approaches the mirror, the arm-candelabra-filled hallway, and the horse. I couldn't help but laugh. And for that scene, that simply wasn't okay.

The chandelier's crash being moved didn't bug me too much, surprisingly, as I always kind of thought it was an odd place to put it, though I suppose it makes sense to have it end the first section of the play. Gives it a dramatic finish that simply isn't needed in the movie. The duet between Christine and Raul on the roof was a touch nauseating, mostly because it went on too long.

The masquerade, which has always been my favorite part of the soundtrack, and which I expected great things from, fizzled. The costumes were lovely, but why weren't Raul and Christine wearing masks? And as for the Phantom, if anything, his costume should have been bigger and flashier than the one in the stage production, if for no other reason than that this is a movie, and they can blind us more. But no, you barely even noticed his entrance, which could have gone unnoticed if the screen hadn't shifted to show him. The change in the lyrics here worked surprisingly well, given that it was the combination of two scenes, but couldn't help but find myself wondering if he was even going to bother to notice the ring Raul had given Christine.

I was pleasantly surprised by Past the Point of No Return, however. After the muck they made of the title song, I was expecting more of the same, but this time, it worked, and the scene was perfect.

All in all? I'd say if you're a big fan, do see it, but if you have seen the stage production, understand that it's definitely not as good.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

A great take on the serials of the 40s and 50s

[9/10 · 23 June 2007]

I highly recommend Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Went to see this with my husband, and I absolutely loved it. If you haven't seen it yet, all I can say is that if you were intrigued by the commercials, or like serial-style movies, or Max Fleischer cartoons (the old Superman cartoons), or movies set in a Pre-world war II era, you need to see it. Or even if you like Gwenyth Paltrow or Jude Law. That's all I can say without spoiling anything.

This movie is amazing. Angelina was fun, but wasn't in it much, and what they did with Olivier. I'd forgotten it was him until after the movie was over, and my husband pointed it out. You wouldn't even guess that the actor never actually played the part. Amazing.

The flaws I saw were all of the kind that made me go, "did they do that on purpose, or to copy the style of the serials?" Jude law was great, and Gwenyth was perfect. The thing that makes it especially amazing is that the entire movie, aside from the actors (minus Mr Olivier, of course), was all computer generated. If you sit through the credits, you see that just about every effects studio in Hollywood was involved with the making. And Gwenyth and Jude never make you feel like they're not seeing what's on the screen. I personally think that this stretches Ms Paltrow's talents as much as Shakespeare in Love did, and I thought she was excellent in that.

The movie could basically be split into three different sections: The beginning is the Max Fleischer bit, with the robots invading New York City (which was a touch too realistic after 9/11, despite the fact that it was robots). This was the "superhero" bit, with Jude Law as someone outside the usual official channels who helps the world in extreme situations.

Then, when his base is attacked, it falls into a war-hero serial mode, with the two main characters off to save the world from the evil forces before it's too late. Again, the scenes of destruction here are so realistic that it's a bit overwhelming. But the style keeps it from being to hard to handle. Just as everything gets to be too much, the hero or heroine pop up with a comment, or an action that is straight out of the old serials that could be considered a touch silly nowadays. It keeps the movie from getting too heavy.

The last section of the movie is when they wake up in Nepal (okay, I'm still not going to say exactly where, in case someone didn't listen and is still reading this without having seen the movie first). This is the Adventure/Fantasy type serial, and leads all the way through to the end of the movie, with glimpses of dragons, underwater architecture, and even a space-ship.

I think what's most amazing to me is the fact that even though I can see the movie in those three forms, it still felt seamless. The scenes blended perfectly from moment to moment. This is a great movie, following the traditions started by Lucas and Spielberg in Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and continued by Universal with the Mummy series and Van Helsing. I think, though, out of all of those movies, that this is the one that sticks closest to the original source material. And in doing so, it becomes the most intriguing of the lot.

13 Going on 30 (2004)

A great "light" movie

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

When I saw this one, I was pleasantly surprised. I expected no substance at all, but found myself watching a rather sweet and even slightly complex plot line.

Also, whoever did the casting did an excellent job. Particularly their choices for the kids. Each of them looked and acted a great deal like their older counterparts.

I was also rather pleased with the fairy-tale ending, because basically the whole story was a morality tale. The main character was taught a lesson and learned from it, improving her life for the better. I know this is something that annoys many viewers, but I think it was used to good effect here.

All in all, a very sweet film.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

A thriller the way thrillers should be done.

[8/10 · 23 June 2007]

I need to preface this review by saying that I do not like Ashton Kutcher. That said, I do remember seeing the preview for this movie and thinking, "hm, that doesn't look too bad." But I stayed away. Because of him.

So when I watched it, I was completely blown away. It's very well done. Maybe some of the ideas weren't fully explored, but they did an excellent job with what they did explore, given the time constraints on a feature-length film.

By the end, I'd totally forgotten the main character was Ashton Kutcher. And that's a very good thing, if I can forget who the actor is and start to enjoy the film in spite of that. Particularly when the actor is someone I dislike that much.

The ending was perfect. Not happy, but not sad, either. Just a touch melancholy. Perfect. Definitely a movie to see.

Father of the Bride Part II (1995)

Good, so long as you don't try to think too much

[6/10 · 23 June 2007]

It was a fun movie, but it had no particular substance. I mostly watched it because I'd seen the first one. And because it was free on my cable. Or at least, I wasn't paying only to see it. Now, I have done that before and been pleasantly surprised, but this just wasn't one of those movies.

Most of what was in this movie has been done already in the first film, and then it was in a much better way. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, I'm just glad that I got to watch it free. Sure, Steve Martin's always fun to watch, particularly when he's acting dopey for whatever reason, but that didn't make it a great film. Just mediocre. Still, it's fun for a laugh.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

No, it's not the book. Nor was it ever meant to be.

[8/10 · 23 June 2007]

This was a movie I've been looking forward to for a very long time. My family used to listen to it every night when it was on NPR, and I've always adored it. I have two things to say before I go on to the spoilerish stuff. One is that it was fabulous, and if you like the series in any form, you should go see it. The other is that Douglas Adams would have loved it. And that, beyond anything else, is a great reason to see the film.

Let's start with what I wanted from this movie. I didn't expect a faithful recreation of either radio-play or book, as both end rather on cliffhangers, and wouldn't work well for a movie. I did expect most of the same basic storyline. Man wakes up to find house about to be smashed down, friend comes to save him, house gets smashed, Earth gets blown up, he and friend are captured, he and friend are saved via ship, ship takes them to strange planet, where they learn that Earth was just a construct. It was all there. And more.

As for the actors, the actor they chose for Arthur (who played one of the "body-doubles" in Love Actually) was perfect. Maybe not as exclamatory as he could have been, but bewildered and funny, and there. Alan Rickman, who did the voice of Marvin, was great, but was cheated again, as there were so many great Marvin lines that had to be cut to make way for the changes in the story line. Zaphod (who acted with Rickman in Galaxy Quest as the "extra"), was really pretty much perfect. Obnoxious, egotistical and brainless. Exactly how I pretty much see Zaphod. Trillian, on the other hand, just seemed wrong to me. I didn't want a brainless bubblehead like the had in the BBC TV show, but I would have liked someone with a bit more energy, and a British accent, at the very least. She wasn't bad, I just wanted her to fit better into the cast, and particularly with Arthur, since he's her love interest. Oh, and for those who care, the original Arthur Dent, as well as the BBC TV Marvin show up in the movie. No, I won't tell you where, but keep your eyes open. :) On to the storyline changes...The storyline is much the same, but they took the overriding storyline that was the main focus of the first three books (the idea that Earth was a giant computer built to discover the Ultimate Question), and made that the ultimate focus of the movie. I thought they did an exceptional job keeping everything leading to that point. A few things got dropped along the way, and a few things had to be added, but not one scene felt like it couldn't have come from the books.

For me, though, the most important thing about this series, and the thing I was most waiting to see and hear, was the Guide. After all, it is the title of the movie. And they did several entries, but there were whole sections of the movie where this idea seemed forgotten. The thing that made the original radio show stand out for me were the frequent breaks in the story where all action stopped, and the Guide took over. It was so different from anything that had come before it. It made the show more fun, and more interesting. Now, the entries they did were fabulous, but it quite disappeared in most of the sections where they'd created new scenes to explain some of the action. I think that to make this movie perfect, they would have had to add at least three more Guide entries.

Other bits and bobs...Loved Ford arriving with the trolley full of alcohol and peanuts, and bribing the demolition crew with them. Loved the inclusion of the stories about how Arthur and Ford met, and how Arthur, Trillian and Zaphod met. Adored the Vogon Constructor Fleet, part, particularly the pub patrons lying down on the floor with paper bags over their heads. The Vogons were fabulous, but the poetry wasn't nearly dreadful enough (maybe needed more of a book entry, like in the BBC TV version?). "Resistance is useless" written seven years before Next Gen, thankyouverymuch... The Heart of Gold (and the sighing doors) was adorable. Trillian showing off the kitchen, with the particular highlight of the mini-lightsaber used to toast bread as you cut it. :D Eddie wasn't quite as up as he could have been. The Pan-galactic Gargle-blasters were perfect. I loved the inclusion of Zaphod's arch-rival, who turns out to be the leader of a certain church mentioned in the Guide... Slartybadfast (sp?) was excellent as well, and another actor who was in Love Actually, to boot.

The ultimate scene, though, was when Slartybadfast took Arthur through Magrathea's planet-construction chamber. The scenery was amazing through the entire sequence.

All in all, if you go with an open mind (or a Douglas mind?), I think you'll very much enjoy the experience. And fans should definitely see it.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Still nowhere near as good as the originals

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

I'm one of the original fans of this movie series. I went to Star Wars with my mother as a kid, and adored the first three with a passion that was exceeded by nothing else at the time. But then Lucas decided to make these prequels.

Should I feel ashamed to say I'm glad that it's over? Okay, so it wasn't as bad as the others. But it was in no way as good as Empire.

The opening scenes on the ship were good until Duku appeared. I really expected more from that sequence. It was just so flat. I did like the end of the fight, with Palpatine egging Ani to kill Duku, and Duku's shocked look. You could almost see him saying "but master..."

The Padme/Ani stuff didn't bug me as much this time round. Still wasn't great, though this time she bugged me more than he did. Like the second she was in love, she suddenly had no other life beyond him. Oh, and she was just not big enough to be pregnant with full-term twins (and both of those babies were definitely full-term). They should have been tiny.

I did think that Ani's journey was a lot less whiny this time round. He actually seemed confused, and I felt like he was trying to work it out... The scene with him thanking Ben before he left to get rid of Grievous was excellent, particularly since the next time they saw each other, they were on opposite sides. And his turning was near-perfect.

I could see Ani struggling with the ideas he'd been fed from both sides, and trying to figure out which was right. Still a bit wooden, but better than his scenes in Clones. You can almost see that if they'd just trusted Ani a bit more, things might have gone the other direction. There was real horror in his face when he realized Palpatine was Sideous. He would have helped them if they had arrested the man. But Windu and the rest of the council are so blinded by what "must be done" that they just don't get it.

The scenes in the temple were the only bit of plot that got me close to crying in this film. I cried at the end, but that was because it was over, and I was feeling emotional from realizing the future Luke and Leia had to look forward to. Ani activating his lightsaber when the kid turns to him for guidance... So dark. And the confrontation between Ani, Amidala and Ben was perfect. Shows the true problem with "just doing it for the knowledge." You might be, but knowledge changes you. As does killing. It becomes a habit, and you forget your true intentions. I liked him choking the life out of Padme, very fitting. And the scenes between he and Ben were perfect. They played off each other well.

The big fight left a bit to be desired, but the finale was perfect. No, "Oops, I left my padawan in a lake of boiling lava...oh, well..." His warning to Ani not to do it, and that flash of lightsaber when Ani jumped were perfect. Gruesome, but perfect. And the best touch? Ben taking Ani's lightsaber as he left.

The rescue and resurrection of Ani was great. And Palpatine telling him he'd killed Padme, too. I liked that he couldn't even recall what he'd done. His fit about it and seeing him pull free of the restraints was good, though it was hard to get much emotion from that suit. Though that's only to be expected.

I hated the scenes where Padme died. She should have been in a coma for the entire thing, and hence unable to name the children. She was certainly far too coherent at the end there when she did... I wanted more from her side of the story, and felt ripped-off. I wanted to see her interacting with Bail, and a lot more interaction with Ben. Emotional connections. Plans. Something.

Yoda really kicked ass this time. He was perfect. And Order 66? Eerily perfect. Though I did get a bit sick of Yoda's reactions each and every time...

The dialogue is the worst bit, though. Who did he hire to write this? A six-year-old? Just made me want to tear my hair out. Not like he couldn't have afforded a good writer by now. However, I was pleased that Jar Jar had no lines.

As I said earlier, the point where I got all emotional was the moment they showed Alderaan. I've been waiting to see it for thirty years. And it was beautiful. I really would have preferred a very different story here, since in the Jedi novelization, it says that Leia knew her mother, and I would have liked to see Bail/Padme, even one-sided. I think she was a strong enough character before she married. And it wouldn't have been that difficult to save her, but let Ani think she was dead.

Watching Leia and Luke with their respective adopted parents just made me bawl. By the last shot, I had tears streaming down my face, knowing the future they had waiting for them.

Oh, the "training" Yoda sets for Ben? Felt far too contrived. I mean, I get that he was trying to connect that to the "Jedi ghost" thing in the original three, but come on...

Ultimate feeling on this? I only went once to the theatre, but I needed to see it there. Just once. And I have yet to get the DVD. Maybe we'll get lucky, and it'll age well. But it's not likely.

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

A fun follow-up to a great film

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

I avoided this in the theatre because I was sure it wold be bad in comparison to Jumanji, but I was quite pleasantly surprised. If you liked Jumanji, I highly recommend it.

-- spoilers past here -- Absolutely favorite part? The very first turn, the younger brother gets "Meteor Shower," and the two boys are sitting in the living room at the time, watching TV. Once the meteor shower seems to end, the boys come out from their hiding place, then a huge meteor comes and smashes the TV to smithereens. Love it.

The boys' relationship to each other is the centre of the movie, and it does an excellent job of exploring it. The sister seems rather unnecessary in the story, really, and is mostly there for a one-shot joke that seems a bit off for a Family movie.

I definitely think it's fun for a watch if you liked Jumanji and if you're a fan of soft sci-fi.

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

One of Ghibli's best!

[9/10 · 23 June 2007]

Went to see this with my husband, and absolutely loved it. I like it much more than Sprited Away, and that says a lot right there, because I loved Spirited Away quite a bit. We bought it as soon as it came out on DVD.

The voices in this were lovely, and Billy was especially wonderful. I'd forgotten that Christian Bale did Howl's voice until the credits, though.

The plot's not perfect, but what's there is excellent. I was a little worried about this, because one of the bad reviews I saw on Rotten Tomatoes (and there weren't many...) said that the writing sucked. Though there are plot holes, the story moves along fast enough that you don't really notice them until you think back on the movie. And there's so much else to focus on that the holes aren't really a major issue. The movie is humorous and solemn in turns, and there's so much to see that the plot holes just don't matter.

As far as characters, I fell immediately in love with Howl, who's very devil-may-care, but with a good heart. There's a great mix of other characters, from the main character, Sophie, who is cursed by a powerful witch because she's caught Howl's attention; to Calcipher, voiced by Billy Crystal, who is the main source of Howl's power. The characters feel like they have back-stories, even though we never learn most of them, and that's fine, given the limitations of a movie of this type. In fact, it makes me more inclined to like the film, as it makes the characters feel more like real people. Yes, I want to know more about them, but it's not necessary to know, and just knowing that there is a history there is enough.

The world is wonderfully rich--kind of a mix of natural magic and the Great War period, with flying ships of all descriptions, odd tanks and battleships, and fascinating mythology, which, while not given much detail, still feels a part of the world, rather than something overlaying it. The Castle itself is not so much a castle as an amazing moving house, which has its own inherent magics, thanks to a fire demon. There were a lot of things that went unexplained, but given the time they had to explain, they did exceptionally well.

That's really all I have to say, aside from the fact that anyone who enjoys Ghibli films should not miss this one.

Batman Begins (2005)

A fresh start for a franchise that desperately deserved it

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

This movie lot of fun. You should definitely see it if you don't mind canon changes (again, after all, this is DC we're talking about), and/or if you like Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman or Morgan Freeman. All fabulous in this.

--spoilers past this point-- I love Gary Oldman. He made this movie worth watching for me. Every time he was on screen, I squeed. And you could tell he was having fun, too. Particularly when he got to use the Batmobile. ;D And they showed his family! I wanna see Babs! (But I'm more than willing to wait.) Things that worked: the training sequences, particularly the final training fight between Christian and Liam, which was excellently choreographed. The idea that Wayne Enterprises was being run by a board, because his father was a doctor in canon, so it was a nice nod to why there was a corporation. Where the bat-toys came from! OMG, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. And he was excellent. "Mister Wayne...Don't think of me as an idiot." :D The slow development of Bruce Wayne, depressed and guilty millionaire's son to Batman was just about perfect. Also, Ra's Al Ghul's part in the story was perfect. I had my doubts when I saw that the person playing him wasn't well-known, but trust me...he's PERFECT. Also, I loved that they used Crane/Scarecrow in this very first story. And that for once, the did multiple villains *right*. It ends up setting up everything to come. The final scene with Gordon and Batman on the rooftop (another great line... "I couldn't find a mob boss"), and his clue for this Arkham criminal Batman's going to have to capture (no, I won't say which. It's obvious when you see the clue, but it's a biggie.) were excellent. Gives me hope for good movies in the future.

The bad: I felt rather beat over the head with the "Fear" mallet, specifically at the beginning. And they didn't follow through on it nearly enough. They were obviously having too much fun with the car-chases, blowing things up, and other action scenes. Oh, and I don't hate Katie Holmes, but does she have any other acting style? I swear she was just being Joey from Dawson's Creek. Not what I wanted to see. I would much have preferred to see Talia (Ra's daughter) as a love interest. Seeing as how she really didn't do much for the plot, and their "romance" was nonexistent. Michael Cane was nice, but felt mostly unused. I would have liked something more for him to do than snark sweetly at still-evolving Bruce.

What I would like from the next one? More thought, less action, more plot. One villain (Joker or Two-face would be nice, but not necessary). And a true love interest...who doesn't find out/figure out who Batman is, or even get taken to his cave, k?

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

A brilliant story about a true genius, and a tragic life

[9/10 · 23 June 2007]

A Beautiful Mind was incredible. Having missed this in the theatres, I can't help but urge people to watch this one if they can.

Russell Crow and Jennifer Connelly did an incredible job of showing the difficulties of living with an illness like Schizophrenia, not just for the person suffering from it, but for their loved ones as well. I don't know much about the actual Professor Nash, but if he dealt with even half of what they show in the movie, he must be an incredible man.

The thing that took me by surprise in this movie is that there is only one scene in this movie that was before his hallucinations. They do such a great job of blending the early hallucinations into the move that you never question them until you realize what they are. You hear all about the dangerous hallucinations when it comes to this sort of illness, but never the seemingly innocuous ones. This movie showed the dichotomy quite well, I thought.

Definitely a movie worth seeing.

Wilde (1997)

A amazing story of a twenty-first century man born in the nineteenth century

[9/10 · 23 June 2007]

So, I watched this movie well after it's release. Like every movie version, I'm sure there's a bit of poetic license, but even knowing that, I still recommend it as an excellent exploration of a man born far too soon.

Oscar Wilde was a fascinating person, really. Definitely born in the wrong time. His dry wit is exactly the sort that I enjoy best. And the fact that he enjoyed snubbing his nose in others' faces in a period of time when that sort of thing was not simply looked down upon, but actually quite dangerous to do, was probably what brought about his downfall. Had it not been Bosie, it would have been some other young man who would have eventually led him to the same or a similar fate, I think. It was only a matter of time.

The actors were well-chosen, I thought. Vanessa was wonderful as his mother. Perfectly adoring of her son, and a bit odd herself, she shows a bit of where Oscar's wild (no pun intended) tendencies came from. Jennifer Erhle was perfect as his wife, at first innocent, then sad, then resigned to her husband's fate. She played each bit of Constance Wilde's life beautifully. And Stephen Fry played the perfect Oscar Wilde. Never over the top at all, but always out there, and always utterly believable as a man who was willing to be other than what everyone expected of him.

As for his lovers, Michael Sheen (Lucian in Underworld) played the first young man to seduce Oscar, and his lifelong friend, Ioan Gruffudd (King Arthur, Fantastic Four) played another lover, and Jude Law played the love of Oscar's life, Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas. All three men were fantastic (though Ioan didn't get enough screen time...).

The movie is quite well-done, if you are interested in the story of Oscar Wilde. I highly recommend it to those who are.

Fantastic Four (I) (2005)

Not as bad as some would have you believe

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

I was actually rather surprised how much they did keep to the original idea. Sure, Victor wasn't in the ship with them in the original, and yes, it didn't take place on a space-station, but the original was written before space stations, and, well...they did have to have a villain right from the beginning, so why not Victor? It's like the Burton Batman starting out with Joker. It makes sense.

Johnny was actually very true to the character I recall from the books, and while the actor who played him is only like a month younger than Jessica Alba, it worked, because she was so straight-laced, and he was such an immature show-off. Ben was exceedingly well-played by Michael Chiklis, who managed to hit just about every note of sympathy we needed to have for him.

And I was quite pleasantly surprised by Kerry Washington, who played Alicia, and picked up the pieces of Ben's broken heart after his wife couldn't handle his new form and left him. It didn't bug me at all that she was black, even as a token character, because I know how important her character truly is, and if they do make a sequel, she'll almost definitely be in it (can we say Ben-Alicia-Johnny triangle? :D And, no for those of you who don't know, I'm not making that up in my head. It really happened in the comics.) Interactions: Victor was perfectly heavy-handed, both in his business dealings, and with Susan. The rivalry between him and Reed was well-done, both hating when the other gets the better of him, but Reed coming out on top because he always tries to do what's "for the best" rather than for himself. The Susan-Johnny relationship really shows itself for what it is after the change, with her constantly berating him for being so impetuous all the time. Ben and Reed's friendship is wonderful, particularly Ben's constant attempts to get Reed and Susan back together. But the real delight is the Ben-Johnny arguments. They hate each other from the beginning, with a bit of a backstory that I don't recall from the original, and therefore probably wasn't there, that Ben had been his commander at NASA before Johnny had been tossed out on his ear. After the change, their animosity grows, and every shot they're in together when there's no action going on is great fun to watch.

Stan Lee's cameo in this is impossible to miss, unless you actually leave the theatre the entire time he's on the screen. He has a little conversation with Reed in the elevator lobby of the Baxter Building, and they went so far as to give him an actual name.

Other bits: the evolution of the costumes was nice. The evolution of Johnny's power was better. The skiing sequence is not to be missed. Victor's downfall is swift, and his reaction, which gets darker with each blow, is utterly perfect. Oh, and the entrance to Reed's "office" in the Baxter Building just made me grin.

The sequences during the storm imbuing them with their powers was a bit much for me. I could have done with seeing the cloud surround the station and left it at that. What did annoy me was Reed's insistence on "curing" them all. Reed is painted as an uber-geek from the get-go. And if it's about science, he's all over it. Which to me says that he'd want to figure out what had happened to them first, not how to "cure" them. The only thing that keeps that from totally destroying the movie for me is the fact that he does promise Ben he will cure him, which makes sense to me, as far as things went. But the continued need to "cure" just seemed a bit much.

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

An interesting historical drama for those who enjoy WWII stories

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

Enemy at the Gates was quite nice. The plot line is nicely complex, and doesn't glorify war in the least. The actors: Joseph Finnes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz and Ed Harris were all excellently chosen, really, and did a wonderful job.

The lovestory is a bit predictable, but then, there are only so many ways to tell a lovestory, I suppose. And Rachel Weisz's face during the big sex scene looked like she was in horrible pain. Still she and Jude Law were quite pretty together.

I do think that this is a tale that had not gotten the attention it deserved, so it was nice to see this tale told, at least, and that, if nothing else, makes it worth watching.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

A good, thought-provoking story

[8/10 · 23 June 2007]

I went into this knowing a few vague things about this story, and a recommendation from my sister. I like Jim Carey when he does something different, and this is definitely different. And I adore Kate Winslet.

But even beyond the actors, I wasn't disappointed at all. It's a fabulous film, as long as you don't mind a slight mind-bending experience that really makes you think. The idea that you can just wipe your memory is intriguing, and Elijah Wood's character is pleasantly creepy. The interplay between reality and memory, both created and real, is quite well-done.

It's a fascinating film, if you're willing to wrap your mind around it. And the ending, while ambiguous, works quite well.

Jersey Girl (2004)

A lovely story

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

This was a cute story. And it's one of Ben's better roles, but then Keven Smith always did control his actors well.

Particular gems: the daughter asking the video store girl what her intentions towards her father are after a similar scene with her father finding her with a little boy; doing Sweeney Todd for her school pageant; the carriage ride in New York City.

The little girl who played Ben's daughter was utterly amazing, and if we're really lucky, she'll be even better when she grows up. I would have liked a bit more of a conclusion in the father's life, as he's still trying to find his niche (personally, I think he should go into politics...), but as the story was really about father and daughter, it worked quite well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Overall interesting, but not as good as the original

[7/10 · 23 June 2007]

The first thing I must say is that I read this or was read this book when I was very small, so I can't recall the differences between the Musical and the book. Despite that, I could tell that there were a lot of places in the movie that went back to the original source material, just from what I remembered. I also think Tim had a huge impact on the changes from the original storyline, and anyone who knows his work will see it.

I did enjoy it, but could have done without his special addition, to be honest.

Johnny- I love Johnny. I'm a fan from way back in the teen idol days. I watched 21 Jump Street as consistently as my parents would allow (in other words, not regularly). And when he moved to movies, I made sure to watch as many as I could. I love how his career has grown, and how careful he is with the characters he chooses to play. They're always different, and he never plays the same guy twice. Even if it feels like the same role at first. I liked him in the movie.

But... when I first saw the original commercial for the movie, I was a little freaked out. And I couldn't figure out why he creeped me out for a long time. Until something made me compare him to Gary Oldman. His Willy Wonka reminds me of Zorg from the Fifth Element. Not that he was evil in that way, but in the horribly plasticky look they gave him. And I do understand they were trying to stylize him, but even so, it left me cold. And after seeing the movie, I also have to say that he just kind of floated through the part. He was good, he was believable, but he didn't always feel all there during some scenes, and I mean that in the not acting way, not in the "he's insane" way. As far as I'm concerned, he didn't claim Willy Wonka as well as Gene Wilder did in the Musical.

The kids- * Charlie was lovely. I think the kid they got to play him did an excellent job, though there were moments in the movie where Tim (or possibly Roald, I'm not sure if the scenes were straight from the book) got a bit too preachy about how good and wholesome Charlie was. Luckily, there weren't too many. * Agustus Gloop almost felt like he was a computer animated character before they ever got to the factory. But I was pleased that his mother got a bit more screen-time in this one. It wasn't just her shrieking about Augustus. * Varuca Salt was perfect. Evil and conniving and petty. * Violet had an interesting twist to her character: her mother was the one pushing her to be competitive. I also liked that she and Mike TV ended up with reversed parents. Instead of Violet's father going along, it was her mother, and instead of Mike's mother, it was his father. * Mike was the one I had the most trouble with, to be honest. Instead of being a simple TV junkie, which I agree doesn't happen so much any more, he was turned not only into a video-game-shooter kid, but he was also rather a genius when it came to technical stuff. Now, the technical stuff worked as far as his wanting to use the Wonka-vision, but I kind of wanted to see this violent streak, which they alluded to a few times in the movie, used in his punishment in some form. Well, now that I think on it, it was a bit, with the way the Oompa Loompas smack him around while they're singing, but it didn't seem enough, really.

Tim's addition- now, anyone who knows about Tim Burton knows one of his themes is fathers. Which is fine. But did he have to add it to this movie? It had themes enough of it's own. I wanted to see the bubble room--though the way the Charlie acted in this one, he'd probably be too perfect to try it. And my husband said he missed seeing the office and the signing of the contract. The father stuff worked okay, but I would have rather seen the original story, and not a story that was chopped in half and changed into a Tim Burton story... They just didn't feel like they were part of the overall story to me. But since I knew the story beforehand, that might just be me.

Other bits- I loved that the grandparents (grandpa Jo and grandma Josephine and grandpa George and grandma Georgina) all had extremely distinct personalities that came out on-screen. And particularly enjoyed Liz Smith (who played Letitia Cropley in the Vicar of Dibley series) as grandma Georgina. I loved the Disney-esquire entrance to the factory, which then proceeded to blow up and catch on fire.

I know this sounds like I hated it, but I really didn't. It was a lot of fun to watch, even if there were several wincable things. It's worth going, just be prepared, because it's definitely not the same.

Big Fish (2003)

A lovely fable by the modern master of fables

[8/10 · 23 June 2007]

I'm a Burton fan and a Ewan McGregor fan, so I'm rather annoyed I missed this in the theatres. Quite calm for a Burton flick, though. Not that it wasn't full of oddities, but that it wasn't as weird as some Burton flicks. I loved Ewan and Albert. Their performances were fantastic. And the scene where his son makes up the "surprise ending" for him was perfect, really. Even more, though, I loved the idea of this man who was trying to figure out the truth of his father, when really, he had it all along. The idea that people can be so obsessed with the details that they miss the big picture. Not sure I need to own it, but I definitely enjoyed it. And I'll almost definitely watch it again.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

If you want the real story, read the book

[6/10 · 23 June 2007]

This movie was standard disaster-movie fare. I am sure I would have been very annoyed if I'd gone to see it in the theatre. This isn't Independence Day by any stretch of the imagination, no matter who directed it.

The problem is, that there was an important message hidden in the garbage, and I can't help wishing that they'd made this a better movie so that that message wouldn't be ignored.

I have to say I feel a great deal of sympathy for Art Bell, whose book this story idea came from. I'm sure he'd rather it had been ignored than laughed at.

Serenity (2005)

A new breed of sci-fi movie

[9/10 · 22 June 2007]

I loved this movie. It had everything that made the show great. I should say that I wasn't as into the show as some, but I did watch from the very beginning. I've always liked Zoe and Inara, and Mal as well. Knowing a movie was coming, I re-watched all the episodes, and between that and the excitement on my f-list, I have to say my love for the show has grown by leaps and bounds. And the movie was everything I needed to see.

After leaving the movie and thinking it out, I could see that this is the place Joss would have eventually steered the show, though over a much longer time-period, with little side-trips now and again, more dwelling on some of the bits we saw, like the twins, and Mr. Universe (wouldn't that have been a great episode to watch?). And our nameless assassin would have taken a much longer route to torturing our favorite crew. The revelation of the origin of the Reavers would have been the culmination of a season, with the final episode that season the big fight at the end of the movie. I see it all quite clearly. But then I watched Buffy and Angel from the beginning, so I know how Joss tends to write. And he never disappoints. Even if he tears your heart out, he always leaves you with a smile.

I hope this picture makes so much money that they have to do another. Cause I wanna see it. This is the Star Trek of right now. I want to see River out-pilot everything in the galaxy. I want to see them take on new crew and missions. I want to find out what Shepherd Book was doing before he was a Shepherd! Oh, and I WILL see Mal and Inara kiss if it's the last thing they ever do...

Go see this film. Go take your family to see it, go take your friends to see it, or take your pets,, even. Just go.

Bits and Pieces -- Wash.... I'm still in shock, and I shouldn't be. I mean, this IS Joss Whedon we're talking about. I had no idea it was coming at all. Wash isn't one of my absolute favorite characters, but you could always count on him to lighten the mood in a sweet way. His "Floating like a leaf" line got me through the fight sequence. I'm still crying for Zoe. The fighter should never loose the love of their life, because they're always prepared for it to be the other way round. Oh, and who else has been watching the episodes recently enough to have seen the one where Zoe and Wash were discussing children? That should have been my clue right there, really. Joss never lets anyone live happily ever after. And Zoe's reaction during the fight with the Reavers--I was SO sure she was going to die. She definitely wanted to. Thank god she didn't. But she won't ever be the same.

Reavers. Ew. As Willow Rosenberg said, "There's a big, scary, unfun." Now, granted, there were only two big choices for what this movie could be about, but still, I didn't particularly want to see the Reavers. And finding out that they're all the Alliance's fault? Not so much a surprise, but still, horrific and sad.

I wasn't too pleased with Inara's role in this movie. She's my favorite character, and has shown, time and time again, that she has a backbone. Yet she was consistently in the background just standing there, staring while the others discussed their fates. There were two whole scenes in this movie where her part actually worked. The incense in her rooms, and her and Mal at the end, where she nearly admits she wants to come back to Serenity. Still, at least she was there.

Shepherd Book got almost no screen time. Two scenes, and that was it. His death seemed a waste to me. I mean, why have him die in the middle of telling Mal whatever it was he really needed to know? And who the heck is he, already? Hubby says he's Alliance, possibly even ex-Parliment... I just really want to know. Joss has made too many references to him for it not to mean something.

Was rather shocked at the opening scenes showing Simon rescuing River from the Academy. Not at all what I'd expected. I'd expected a group, not Simon the gormless acting every bit the Council member... Kinda creepy, really. Right until he went into action.

Kaylee. Kaylee and Simon! Finally! Standing up to Mal when he denigrated Simon for not going after what he wanted after that long. Ooooh, yeah. Never upset Kaylee. She may seem sweet, but she'll gut you if you hurt her. And when Simon confessed that he regretted not doing anything with her before... "The heck with this. I wanna live!" I just love Kaylee, she makes me grin. She's the heart of the ship.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Not even half the story this time--and certainly not the important part

[6/10 · 18 June 2007]

An intro: I am a Harry Potter fan and I hated this movie.

Just so people who read this review will understand where I come from, I have to say I'm a Malfoy-booster. It's not that I think they're good-hearted or anything like that. I just don't think they need to be turned into cardboard cut-outs. I was thrilled we got to see them at the World Cup, but even though they had lines, they just seemed too flat. I wanted Lucius and Arthur glowering at each other. I wanted a Harry/Draco faceoff!

And the Ferret scene? Just painful. Why did he go into Crabbe's trousers? And we were completely robbed of Draco in dress robes. But it was the graveyard scene that really upset me. In the book, that scene is chilling, and Lucius still managed to somehow hold his own against Voldemort. I was glad he was there, but he just sounded like a whiny kid.

Snape fared better, but his best scenes were completely disposed of. I did enjoy him knocking Harry and Ron's heads while they studied, and his scene threatening Harry with the Veritaserum was nicely done. But even so...We needed to see that Snape had the Mark on his arm, and to see him shove it in Fudge's face.

I came away from the movie thinking "There's no way they'll be able to keep going...They've dropped too many threads." No Bella. No explanation for how Barty Jr escaped (or why the guards wouldn't have noticed...). No blackmailing Rita Skeeter. No explanation of WHY Moody's lesson affected Neville so heavily. And, of course, there's no absolute certainty that Snape's a Death Eater! Or how about Fudge's utter denial that Voldemort is back? They've left so many of the pieces unmentioned that the next movie will have no cohesion at all.

Oh, and the major subplot--Barty. Now, I knew this would make or break the movie, because it's the central part of the plot. And they totally failed. I know they were trying to avoid having to explain certain things, but honestly, this is getting ridiculous. In the book, there's a lovely ambiguity to Barty Jr in the Pensive scene. It's utterly important to have that to show how he and his father interact, in my opinion. And that not everyone is JUST good, or JUST bad. It's part of JK's message. They made Barty into this total caricature, and it really didn't work.

Other bits:

* The pensive scene: I can understand why they did only one scene, but it should have been Barty & Co's. That would have been much more effective to show the Crouches's relationship. If they didn't want to deal with the Lestranges, they could have cut them out. It would have worked fine without them. And it would have made both characters far less ridiculous than they became.

* I do think that Fiennes was excellent. Not creepy so much as subtly evil, and I think that was exactly what we needed--a slow build to the fight. The cauldron changing with him was a bit much, but walking around barefoot was a nice touch. When he moved Cedric's head with his foot, I shivered. The end of the scene--the fight and escape--came too abruptly, though I'm thrilled they showed the "shadows" at least. Lily and James actually got to speak... And speaking of parents, Amos cheering for his son when they appeared... I think my heart nearly broke...

* I loved Cedric. I think some of his scenes seemed a bit much, but when it came down to it, we got all of his character in one movie, so they did a good job, considering. I did want to have Amos going on about how his son beat Harry Potter, though. It seemed rather central to his character. He seemed too bland in this one.

* The DE costumes: I can see how they could take those tall pointed hats as sort of the ultimate wizarding accessory, but they looked ridiculous. Couldn't someone have said, do we really want them to look that idiotic, or that much like KKK members? I did like the way Voldemort whisked the masks off their faces, though.

* I wasn't sure about Gambon in POA, but now--I don't like his Dumbledore. He's too angry throughout this film, and it really bugged me. Harris would have pulled it off so much better.

My favorite bit: Neville. Neville and all his reactions, particularly Neville and the gillyweed! Nev actually got to help Harry for once. And Neville dancing. Neville and Ginny forever, man! He was so adorable. I just wanted to give him a big kiss on the cheek.